One cafe replaces another as former business appreciates ‘outpouring of love, kindness and support’
One cafe has replaced another in Northampton as the former business took to social media to appreciate the “outpouring of love, kindness and support” upon closing.
Valentine’s Bistro opened in Latchet Lane, Upton in spring 2024 and was linked to supported living home Foxfields as well as being open to the public.
The pandemic was a difficult time for the Foxfields residents, particularly after the former bistro was shut by its previous owners, and this is one of the reasons why partners Abbey Garvan and Chris Cox opened their venue.
Their aim was to create an inviting and social space offering quality, home-cooked and affordable food and drink, as well as hosting a range of community events and selling arts and crafts in aid of The Lewis Foundation.
The building had been empty for nine months before Abbey and Chris took over and with three children between them, Valentine’s Bistro was a family venture.
Having previously spoken to the Chronicle & Echo about the difficulties they faced in spreading the word that they were open to all and that small businesses would shut if unused, the team took to social media at the start of October 2025 to announce its closure.
The Facebook post read: “Well, it's done… Valentine's Bistro is now closed. We had an amazing last week, with a few challenges along the way, but our overriding memory of this sad time will be the absolute outpouring of love, kindness and support we have received whilst closing.
“We are obviously gutted about the situation but are truly grateful for the friends we have made in the past year-and-a-half and absolutely know who has our backs.
“We had an amazing time on Saturday, finishing as we started, when we held a get-together to celebrate the good times and achievements we have all been a part of. We were truly blown away by the generous gifts, kind words and sentiments we received and couldn't help, at times, getting a little emotional.”
Abbey and Chris gave a special shout out to the supporters and partner businesses who became friends on the journey, and how they helped to make Valentine’s so much more than a cafe.
The post continued: “It was a friendly meeting place, a place to be proud of your talents, a place that accepted everyone for who they were and a place that brought the community in. We can't thank you all enough.”
Valentine’s Bistro has now been replaced by Amica Cafe, which opened to the public on November 29 last year. The building was closed for almost two months while the changeover took place.
The Amica Cafe team are proud to offer great coffee, tasty treats and a cosy space for the Northampton community. The venue’s breakfast menu is available all day long, as well as a range of sweet and savoury crepes and desserts made on-site, among other options.